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I'UKSIiNTI-iriiY 






THE 



HISTORICAL AND OTHER RECORDS 



BELONGING TO 



9ri)e ^ctont) Cljiircl) in IBoston 






IE)fetorical Cablet£i 



IN THE CHAPEL OF THE SECOND CHURCH. 



Second Church gathered and House of Worship built in North 
Square, 1649; burnt, 1676; rebuilt, 1677; taken down for fuel by- 
British troops, 1775. Society occupied the New Brick in Hanover 
Street, 1779, till it was demolished, 1844. New Church in Hanover 
Street dedicated, 1845 ; sold, 1849. Freeman Place Chapel purchased, 
1850; sold, 1854. Meeting House of the Church of the Saviour, in 
Bedford Street, purchased, 1854; taken down and land sold, 1872. 
Corner-stone of the adjoining Church laid Sept. 17, 1873; Church 
dedicated Nov. 4, 1874. This Chapel dedicated Feb. 15, 1874. 



John Mayo. Ordained Nov. 9, 1655. Resigned 1673. 
Increase Mather. Ordained May 27, 1664. Died Aug. 23, 1723. 
Cotton Mather. Ordained May 13, 1683. Died Feb. 13, 1728. 
Joshua Gee. Ordained Dec. 18, 1723. Died May 22, 1748. 
Samuel Mather. Ordained June 21, 1732. Dismissed Dec. 21, 1741. 
Samuel Checkley, Jr. Ordained Sept. 3, 1747. Died March 19, 

1758. 
John Lathrop. Ordained May 18, 1768. Died Jan. 4, 1816. 
Henry Ware, Jr. Ordained Jan, 1, 1817. Resigned Sept. 26, 1830. 
Ralph W. Emerson, Ordained March 11, 1829. Resigned Oct. 28, 

1832. 
Chandler Robbins. Ordained Dec. 4, 1833. Resigned Dec. 4, 1874. 
Robert Laird Collier. Installed March 15, 1876. Resigned 

Sept. 25, 1878. 
Edward A. Horton. Installed May 24, 1880. 



8 y^S 



THE interest recently awakened in historical matters, 
particularly in the ecclesiastical history of our 
New England Churches, has induced the Standing Com- 
mittee of The Second Church in Boston to collect and place 
in some permanent form an inventor}^ of the most impor- 
tant Records and Documents connected with our own 
ancient organization. 

We have availed ourselves of the services of Dr. Fran- 
cis H. Brown, an officer of the Church, who has cheerfully 
given us the aid which is furnished in the accompanying 
pages. 

The action of the Committee appears in the following 
vote : — 

Boston, March 26, 1889. 

Voted, That the thanks of the Committee be conveyed by 
the chairman to Dr. Brown for the very thorough and inter- 
esting character of the Report, and for his labors in preparing 
the same ; also that he be requested to consent to the printing 
of the Report, such being the special desire of the Committee. 



Boston, April, 1888. 
F. W. Lincoln, Jr., Esq. 

Clerk of the Second Church. 

Dear Sir, — In reply to your letter of February 18, in 
which you convey the vote of the Standing Committee, 
asking me to state the character and condition of the 
Records and similar books belonging to The Second 
Church, with their place of deposit, I beg leave to make 
the following Report. 

The Records may properly be placed under the follow- 
ing heads : — 



The Records of the Church Proper, — in care of the Deacons. 
The Records of the Corporation and Standing Committee, — in 

charge of the Standing Committee. 
The Records of the Sunday School, the Ladies' Benevolent 

Society, the Second Church Branch of the Benevolent 

Fraternity of Churches, of the Charity Committee, and of 

other organizations. 

1. The first volume of Church Records is partly in the 
handwriting of John Mayo, the first minister of the Church, 
and the earliest entry is dated 21'* 6'"*' 1662, providing 
for the payment of the Pastor, Teacher, and leading Elder. 
At page 63 commences a list of church members, beginning 
with 1663 and continued by other hands to 1741. A con- 
siderable part of the book is taken up with accounts of 
payments to Mr. Mayo, etc., with an occasional record of 
business transacted at meetings of "the brethren," re- 
ceipts signed by Mayo, Gibson, etc. Some pages and 
parts of pages have been cut out by unknown parties, 
perhaps for autographs. 

2. The second volume bears the inscription "Ex dono 
fratris Samuelis, Cotton Mathero, in D— Richards aedib. 
hospitanti hunc librum humanissima ilia Domina dedit 16'* 
viii" 1682." It contains a transcript of the list of commu- 
nicants, the same as contained in the previous volume, 
and is in the handwriting of Cotton Mather and Joshua 
Gee. The first record is, — 

On 5*^ 4r 1650 the Second Church of Christ in Boston was 
gathered. The Brothers that first embodied were 

Michael Powel. John Philips. 

James Ashwood. George Davis. 

Christopher Gibson. Michael Wills. 

John Farnham. 

To these were soon added 

John Mayo, etc. 



Cotton Mather seems not to have continned his little 
book after 1717; but to have made his entries in book 
No. 4 after about 1717 ; the smaller book is written back 
to that date by Gee, and continued to its full extent, 31. 
11. 1741. 

3. The third volume is in the hand of Increase and 
Cotton Mather, — the first record being dated 8. 9. 1673. 

/^ The volume contains man}' historical accounts of interest. 
The first record speaks of the delinquency which allowed 
twenty years to pass after the organization of the Society 
without any book of records. It contains an account of 
the gathering of the church, 5. 4. 1650. The first cove- 
nant is given, — censures, dismissions, building a new 
house of worship ; lists of church members follow, 
baptisms, ^and general church history. 

4. The fourth volume embraces the period from 8. 10. 
1689 to 24. 12. 1716, and is probably in the handwriting 
of Cotton Mather. The volume also contains a record of 
those who were " received into (half way) covenant," 
beginning January 15. 1692-3, when this ordinance was 
first instituted in the church. 

5. The fifth volume is in the handwriting of Cotton 
Mather, from 1717 to 1723 ; of Joshua Gee from March 1, 
1724, to 25. 8. 1741, —contains lists of baptisms, admis- 
sions, etc., with various items regarding the Scarlett and 
other legacies. A full account of the Scarlett legacy is to 
be found in the record book of the Treasurer of the Church 
Proper, on pp. 70 et seq. 

6. In book six Gee's record continues to 31. 11. 1747 ; 
Checkley's then commences ; his last record is 21 May, 
1765 ; Lathrop's begins 18 May, 1768, and continues to 
his death, 4 January, 1816. The " meeting preliminary to 
the Communion" and the " Questions" originated 1 Jan- 
uary, 1773. The New Brick Church united with the 
Second Church 27 June, 1779. Reference is made to the 



books in the hands of the Treasurer and Clerk for more 
full particulars. 

7. The seventh volume, in Lathrop's handwriting, con- 
tains covenants of marriage, communion, and baptism, 
with registers of marriages and deaths during his ministry 
from Ma}^ 18, 1768, to his death, 4 January, 1816. 

8. Volume eight is a copy of former records, made 
about 1741, and is continued to a later date. During 
the occupation of the town by the British troops in 
1775-76 the church was burned, and probabl}^ a part of 
the records ; the people began to worship with the con- 
gregation of the New Brick, 31 March, 1776 ; the formal 
union between the two churches took place in 1779. One 
record states : " N. B. The records of admissions and 
baptisms from 1741 to 1768 were generally lost or 
destroyed in the time of the war." ..." 1775. From 
the 19 of April, when the war began, to the 31 March, 
1776, there are no records. The church was scattered and 
the Old North Meeting House was destroyed." 

9. A volume of records (ninth) extends from the death 
of Dr. Lathrop to the calling of Mr. Eobbins, Oct. 27, 
1833, including the pastorates of Ware and Emerson. 
The Scarlett Legacy was considered in 1828-29. Lists 
of admissions, marriages, baptisms, and deaths are given. 
On May 11, 1718, is noted the death of Paul Revere, at 
the age of eight3^-three. A memorandum, in Dr. Eobbins's 
handwriting, at the close of the volume, reads: " N. B. 
The records of the Church from the Commencement of my 
ministr}' have been transferred to another book. C. R." 

10. The volume alluded to by Dr. Robbins contains the 
records for the period of his pastorate, including the records 
of marriages and admissions. The volume was received 
by the Deacons from his widow. 

11. In 1881 the undersigned, in behalf of the Deacons, 
opened a new volume of records, which will be continued. 
It contains lists of the Ministers, Deacons, and Treasurers 



of the Corporation, together with lists of baptisms, mar- 
riages, deaths, and admissions, from the date of the in- 
stallation of Dr. Collier, March 15, 1876. 

12. Another vohime contains certain of the minutes of 
the New Brick Church from November, 1719 (or 1720), 
until June 27, 1779. The plan of union and the action 
of the two societies is given in full. It is not easy to un- 
derstand why the records are continued under the name 
" New Brick Church" throughout the volume and to the 
year 1803. The volume begins : " A Journal of the votes 
and other proceedings of the Proprietors of the New Brick 
meeting house in Boston. Sundrey of the North Ende of 
the Town being moved by the Providence of God for to 
Buld a House for the publick Worship of God met sundrey 
Times for the promoting of y'' work," etc. It gives the 
history of the land on which the New Brick stood. The 
names of the twenty-four who purchased the land are 
cited. On page 64 occurs this record: "Hear ends the 
Records of the New Brick Society, and ouer leaf, page 68, 
begins the Records of the United Churches from June 27, 
1779, the day on which the Union took place, and hereafter 
the Records of the 2*^ church in Boston." On page 68 : 
"Boston, May 6* 1779, Begins the Records of the Old 
North and New Brick societys takeing som proper steps in 
order to bring on a peaceable and happ}^ union of boath 
said churches and congregations under the pastoral care 
of Rev*^ Mr. John Lathrop, vrho now preaches to boath 
Societys in the New Brick Meeting House," etc. 

13. The Book of the Treasurer of the Church Proper 
commences Nov. 1, 1813, and is in use at the present time. 
Attached to the account-book is a memorandum, giving 
full description of the plate now belonging to the Church. 
The writer of this report has a set of copies of the coats-of- 
arras, inscriptions, etc., from the plate, taken off by an 
engraver, and also a set of heliotypes, made from the same 
engravings and given him by Mr. John II. Buck, of the 



8 

Gorham Manufacturing Company of New York. These 
heliotypes have been inserted b}^ Mr. Buck in his book, 
issued this 3'ear, on " Old Plate." 

14. A book was commenced by Henry Barr}', Secretar}^, 
28 April, 1844, being the record of the Church Proper, — 
especially of the devotional meetings held for many years 
on the Friday before the Communion. Long accounts of 
the services at these meetings, with the remarks of the 
Pastor, are given. The book is in use at the present da}^ 

15. A volume of Standing Committee records of the 
New Brick Church begins 26 Jan., 1801, and ends 9 Dec, 
1824. 

16. A record of the Standing Committee of the Second 
Church and societ}^ begins 5 Jan., 1825, and ends 30 April, 
1845. 

17. A volume of Standing Committee records begins 
1 May, 1845, and ends 15 Jan., 1872. 

18. Still another volume of the committee is now in 
use. 

19. A volume of Proprietors' Records begins at the 
Annual Meeting of the " New Brick Society," 3 May, 1804. 
Dr. Lathrop's name, however, occurs in this first record. 
This overrunning of the two names ma}^ impl}^ that they 
were used interchangeably, or that the corporate organiza- 
tion of the New Brick was kept up for some time after the 
two parishes actuall}^ united. The volume ends 26 Jan., 
1845, with the appointment of a committee to petition the 
Legislature to change the name of the church from " The 
Second Church and Society of Boston " to " Second 
Church." 

20. The next volume begins with the act of the Legisla- 
ture to change the name, as indicated above ; it was 
approved b}- Governor Briggs, 22 Feb., 1845. The last 
record is dated 18 April, 1873. 

21. A third volume of Proprietors' Records is now in 
use. On a fly-leaf of the second volume is this record : 



9 

" Mr. Harris never delivered any but this book to me; said he 
had nb others. This fact has been stated to the Standing 
Committee before, by 

T. W. Herrick, p. Clerk. 

May 20, 1851." 

22. The Records of the Treasurers of the Corporation 
are in the hands of tlie present Treasurer. 

Volumes of records and of accounts of the Treasurers 
and Secretaries of the Sunday School, the Evangelical 
Treasurj^, the Benevolent Fraternity of Churches, the 
Ladies' Benevolent Societ}', the Young People's Fra- 
ternit3% and the Friendly Workers, are in possession of 
the officers of these organizations. 

In the room over the Pastor's room, in the present church 
edifice, is a chest containing a number of old account-books 
and sundr}' files, apparently not of much value. 

23. A new Registry of the Sunday School has been 
recently opened, and is now in use. 

24. A few leaves of legal cap are taken up by a Register- 
Book containing, — 

" I. A brief Introductory Account of y^ Founding a Library 
for the Second Church of Christ in Boston. 

II. The names of the Benefactors, with an account of what 
they bestow. 

III. A catalogue of the books as they stand in their respective 
classes." 

On the first page occurs — 

" Secund«Te Christi apud Bostonum Nov. Anglorum 
Ecclesise Bibliothecale ex dono D. Nathanselis Belknap 
Bibliop. Bostonens." 

At this time, in connection with this report, it seems 
proper to invite the attention of the members of the Stand- 
ing Committee, not in their official capacit}^, but as a part 
of the Societ}^, to the advisability of putting into perma- 
nent printed form the Records of the Second Church 



10 

Proper, — including the names of those who have been 
connected with it, as shown by the Usts of baptisms, mar- 
riages, deaths, and admissions. The plan, thus proposed, 
has commended itself to several historic parishes in our 
midst. As an example of this custom there is submitted 
herewith a volume containing transcripts of the records of 
the Third Church in Boston, generally known as the Old 
South Church. The very valuable Registers of admissions 
to the Church, as will be seen, are accuratelj^ copied, many 
important historical facts are brought out, and the records 
of man}' old Boston families are preserved. It is to be un- 
derstood that this Register of the Third Church will form 
one volume of the history of the Church, and that another 
volume will be added within a few j^ears. The Old South 
proposes to continue, at intervals, the printing of its other 
registers, — of baptisms, marriages, and burials, — and of 
all its valuable papers^ until the whole of its archives are 
put beyond the danger of destruction by fire, by being em- 
balmed in enduring print. The volume of the history of 
King's Chapel, with a second volume, soon to follow, is to 
be supplemented by a volume of the Registers. As a por- 
tion of this record, a new transcript of the King's Chapel 
Epitaphs, more complete and more accurate than that of 
Bridgham, has been alread}^ made. More or less complete 
copies of Records of the Church in Brattle Square, and 
other historical churches, have been made or are being 
made for early publication. 

It should be remembered that the earl}^ ecclesiastical 
history of New England is the histor}^ of the countrj^ 
The churches held in their body the best men of the period ; 
and the history- of the colonial and provincial periods, of 
which Boston is so justly proud, emanated, in a great de- 
gree, from the very men who were, in their day, the pillars 
of the Church. 

It seems eminently proper that The Second Church in 
Boston, — the church of the Mathers, of Lathrop, Ware, 



11 

Emerson, Robbins, — which inckided the families of Alcott 
Bjles, Checkle}^, Cotton, Fothergill, Frizzell, Gee, Green- 
ough, Governor Hutchinson, Lincohi, Mountford, Revere, 
Saltonstall, Townsend, and man^^ others, should be in the 
front rank in this good work. There are competent persons 
ready to assist us noio, — with their hands, their skill, their 
advice. We have many members of our old parish, — 
happily still with us, — who must pass away before long, 
and new members will have less enthusiasm and less 
interest in the time-honored Records of our historic 
Church. 

The excellent work done by the Record Commissioners 
of the city of Boston comes forcibly to mind in this con- 
nection, and their nineteen volumes of our local histor}' 
rescue from the chance of oblivion, and place in the hands 
of historical workers, a vast amount of the most valuable 
records of the town. 

The plan which I should recommend for the action of 
the Societ}- is that so well employed by other churches, — 
to emplo}' a skilled copyist, accustomed to such work, 
to have a complete transcript of a large part of what I have 
described as the "Church Record books," and that the 
material be placed in the hands of printers, also accus- 
tomed to an undertaking of this kind. I think the expense 
of preparing and printing a book of this kind would be not 
far from two thousand dollars. I would recommend that 
the church itself make a subscription say of one third 
this amount, and that the payment of the remainder be 
secured from members and friends of the Church. 

Respectfully submitted, 

Francis H. Brown. 



^2 S/!AR 24 1905 



Boston, November 20, 1888. 

Since writing the above report, there have been added 
to the collection of books : — 

25. The Old North Communion and Poor's stock, 1734- 
1813, evidently the predecessor of No. 13 in the above 
list. On its %-leaf it has a list of the church plate in 
1720. 

26. This book has to do with the Freeman Place Chapel 
episode. 

27. Ladies Charitable Sewing Circle, I. 

28. Rev. Mr. Horton's visiting list for 1882, giving list 
of members of the parish of that time. 

35-43. In the earlj^ part of the 3^ear the Deacons re- 
ceived from Miss Annette Rogers, daughter of the late 
Mr. Henry B. Rogers, all the books and papers of the 
Church of the Saviour. This church, organized in 1845, 
had drawn awa}^ many from the Church of the Disciples 
who disagreed with the Pastor of that church on certain 
points ; it continued as a separate organization for nine 
years, and then became merged with The Second Church, 
bringing to us the families of Rogers, Fearing, Burrage, 
Ware, Prince, and man}^ others whom we most highly prize. 
The books are now given to the Deacons of the Second 
Church for permanent preservation. They are numbered 
as in the margin. 

On the 5th of the current month the Deacons of the 
Church procured a suitable trunk, gathered all the vol- 
umes above named, and placed them in the storage ware- 
house on West Chester Park. In addition, there are 
enclosed with them such of the files of papers as possess 
historic value or seem otherwise worthy of care. 

Francis H. Brown. 



LIBHAHY UH UUNUHhbliS 





014 014 392 3 



